Carton



N. D. ELLIS Oct. 24, 1967 CARTON 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1966 3M, M af/Mew# Oct. 24, 1967 Y N, D, ELUS 3,348,758

CARTON Filed April l, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /w 9 9 /7 f f "5v JL f3 3W, uw www United States Patent O 3,348,758 CARTON Nicholas D. Ellis, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Anheuser- Busch, Incorporated, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Apr. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 539,476 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-44) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A two flap carton Whose side cover flaps have inner and outer side cover flanges positioned and maintained at an angle by end cover brackets which cover only a small portion of the end walls adjacent to the notch, said inner and outer side cover flanges having portions which extend below the notch and contact the inner surface of the end walls below the notch.

This application contains subject matter in common with the Ellis application No. 443,281 file-d Mar. 29, 1965 now Patent No. 3,286,908 granted Nov. 22, 1966 of which this application is a continuation-in-part.

This invention relates to an improved carton formed of relatively inexpensive material, such as corrugated board of iberboard, and designed for multiple Iuse in shipping and storing relatively heavy articles, such as bottles of beerY The principal object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive multiple trip carton which can be erected, loaded, and closed on high speed automatic equipment. Another object is to provide a multiple trip carton 4made from one piece of board material, except for the partitions between bottles, having end cover brackets which are shortened to eliminate bending, tearing, and catching of the end cover brackets when the cartons are palletized, and inner `and outer side cover flanges dimensioned so that the outer side cover flange extends below the bottom of the notch in the end wall of the carton. Another object is to eliminate the conventional end cover flanges which tend to dog ear or bend in use, and use only small connectors to maintain the side cover ange at an angle to the side cover flap.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The present invention is embodied in a carton made from the corrugated board, said carton having end walls and side walls, each of said side walls having a side cover flap hinged thereto, said side cover flap having inner and outer side cover flanges positioned at an angle to said side cover flap and maintained in said position by end cover brackets, said side cover anges adapted to extend into a notch in the upper portion of said end walls, said inner and outer side cover flanges having portions which extend below the notoh and contact the inner surface of the end walls of the carton below said notch, said end cover brackets having a small bottom portion land extending angularly upwardly so as to cover only a small portion of the upper part of the end walls adjacent to said notch in said end walls.

The invention also consists in the parts `and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described `and claimed. In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and wherein like numerals and symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a carton blank embodying the present invention, with the inside surface shown,

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view along the line 2 2 of PIG. 3 toward one end of said carton after it has been erected and both cover ilaps closed,

FIG. 3 is a perspective View `of said carton showing one side cover flap in open position,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the corner of a cover ap showing the details of the end cover bracket and the liner `and outer side cover flanges, and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the end wall showing one side cover ap in its closed position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a blank B made from `a single piece of substantially rectangular iiberboard or corrugated board with the corrugations extending in the direction of the arrow A shown in FIG. 1.

The carton blank B shown in FIG. 1 may be rotary cut to reduce cost. The corrugated material is of about 275 pounds strength, but this strength may be varied within limits without departing from the present invention.

The carton blank B is provided with longitudinal scores or fold lines 1, 2, 3, and 3a. The blank B is also provided with transverse or vertical score lines 4 which form the vertical corners of the carton C, and vertical free edges 5, which are in line with the score lines 4 and form the end edges of the side cover flaps. The vertical scores 4 have circular openings 4a at the bottom to permit easier folding about the score lines and to form drainage openings at the lower corners of the carton. The circular openings 4b at the tops of the vertical scores 4 permit easier folding. The blank B is also provided with vertical score lines 5a which are slightly offset from the score lines 4 about s inch.

The carton C is provided with two side Walls 6, two end walls 7, and a manufacturers flap M dened along their vertical edges by the scores 4. The side Walls 6 each have a side bottom flap 8 hinged thereto along the bottom score 1 and a side cover ap 9 hingedly secured thereto along the upper score 2. The upper score 2 between the side walls 6 and side cover aps 9 may be cut through at intervals to weaken it so that `the covers 9 may be pivoted more readily. The side cover flaps 9 may be provided with a finger hole in the center thereof to facilitate opening, if desired, and also may be provided with an inspection hole so that one bottle cap in the case is visible without having to open a side cover flap 9. Each end wall 7 has an end bottom flap 10 hingedly connected thereto along the bottom score 1 and an end reinforcing ap 11 hingedly secured thereto along the upper score 2. The side portions of the end bottom flaps 10 have cut-out portions which space said end bottom flaps 10 away from the side walls `6 and form drainage channels in the bottom of the carton. Each end wall 7 is provided with a handhole 12 Ihaving .a handhole flap 13 secured along an upper edge 14. The end reinforcing flap 11 is adapted to be rebent along the upper score 2 to be placed in juxtaposition with the inner surface of the end wall 7 so that its handhole 15 is in registering relation with the end wall handhole 12. The end wall 7 and end reinforcing flap 11 each have a notch 16 in the center of their upper edge, said notch 16 having a straight horizontal bottom 16a and having curved inner portions 17 thereon, as will be explained.

Each side cover ap 9 is provided with longitudinal outer and inner side cover flanges 118 and 18a and two small end cover brackets 19, said end cover brackets 19 being perpendicular to the side cover flap 9 and secured in said perpendicular portion by reason of the tabs 20 connected to the end cover brackets 19, which tabs 20 are secured between the outer and inner side cover flanges 18 and 18a, preferably by `a staple at each corner. The tabs 20 are adapted to fit into the notches 16 when the carton is in its erected and closed position. The free edges 5 are in line with the score lines 4 to make the side cover aps 9 the same length as the carton C. The offset score line 5a allows the cover brackets 19 to move downwardly past the outer surface of the end walls 7 in parallel relation therewith so that said Yend cover brackets 19 do not strike the top edge of the end walls 7. The parts are dimensioned so that the inside surface ofthe tab 20 adjacent to the score line along which it is hinged frictionally engages the curved surface 17 of the notch 16 to hold the side cover flap 9 in closed position.

As best shown in FIG.. 5, t-he end cover brackets 19 are substantially triangular in shape, being very narrow at their bottom 21 and wide at their top 22 with a rear edge 23 extending angularly upwardly therebetween. Thus, the end cover brackets 19 cover only those portions 24 of the end walls 7 which are adjacent to the notches 16 and the remaining upper portions 25 of the end walls 7 remain uncovered and free from any end cover bracket 19. That is, the upper part 25 of the end `walls 7 is not covered by an end cover bracket near the side walls 6. The part 25 is greater than the portion 24 so that the major portion of the top part of the end wall remains uncovered by the end cover bracket 19.

The tabs 20 have sloping bottom edges 26 and are inserted between outer and inner side cover flanges 18 and 18a and secured into position by stitching. The tabs 20 may `be folded along the score lines 3 but preferably are folded along the short scores 27 which are at an angle of about to the score line 3. When the tabs 20 are folded along the score lines 3, the sidecover flange 18 is perpendicular to theside cover ilap 9, but when the tabs are folded about the scores 27, the side cover anges 1S and 18a slope inwardly.

In the erected position, suitable fastening means are used. IPreferably, the end bottom ilaps 10 are glued to the inner surfaces of the side bottom aps 8, the end reinforcing aps 11 are glued to the inner surfaces of the end walls 7, and the tabs 20 are stapled between the end portions of the outer and inner side cover anges 18 and 18a. The manufacturers flap M is preferably stapled to the edge of the end wall 7 to maintain the four walls 6 and 7 in their perpendicular position. However, it is to be understood that staples or adhesive may be used as desired.

The present corrugated board carton C provides a carton which is sufciently strong and rigid to be used for a number of trips in the ordinary course of the beer business. This carton can be erected with automatic equipment which holds the side cover aps in open position for inserting the separate partition member and 24 bottles of beer. Only two cover flaps must be closed in order to close the carton, Ithereby saving labor costs over cartons having two side cover ilaps and two end cover tiaps. In eect, the usual end cover flanges have been eliminated in this carton thereby avoiding palletizing problems and saving a carton which might otherwise have to be discarded because of the end cover flanges becoming bent or torn. The brackets 19 do not have such disadvantages, and yet said brackets 19 doihelp to make the carton more rigid when the cover aps 9 are closed.

The corrugations run vertically in the side Walls 6 and in the end walls 7, and run transversely across the side cover flaps 9 so that the free edges v5 are closed by a corrugation, thereby preventing wicking or -moisture from entering between the inside and outside liners which along with a corrugated sheet form the material of the side cover aps 9. The carton shown in the drawings is capable of holding 24 twelve ounce bottles of beer. This inven tion may also be used in cartons designed to hold 12 quart or 32 ounce bottles of beer, but since these quarts are positioned in three rows of four bottles each,.the cover flaps 9 will not be of equal size which each covering one-half of the top but one will be twice as wide as the other so that a small cover ap 9 covers one row and a larger cover flap 9 covers two rows.`

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example v of the invention herein chosen for purposesof the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A carton having side walls and end walls, said end walls having a notch therein and an end reinforcing flap with a registering notch therein hinged to said end wall, said side walls each having a side cover flap hingedly secured thereto, said side cover aps each having an outer and inner side cover flange positioned at an angle thereto, said side cover flaps each having small end cover brackets for maintaining said side cover ange in angular relation with said side cover ap, said end cover brackets having a small bottom and a wider top thereby covering only a small portion of said end walls adjacent to said notch Awhen said cover flaps are in closed position'and leaving the major portion of the. end walls uncovered, said side cover aps closing the entire top of the carton when in their closed position, said outer and inner side cover flanges having lower portions which extend downwardly below the bottomof said notch and contact the inner faces of said end reinforcing flaps to main-` tain said side cover aps inA their closed position and to rigidify the carton in a longitudinal direction.

2. The carton set forth in claim 1 wherein the notch in the upper portion of each. end wall has curved side portions and a horizontal bottom portion, and the tabs which connect the end brackets with the side cover flanges have a lower edge adapted to contact and seat on said horizontal bottom portion of said notch when said cover aps are in their closed position.

3. The carton set forth in claim 1 wherein the end bottom aps form Vat least a portion of an inner bottom of the carton, said end bottom flaps having a cut-out portiontalong the side walls to form drainage channels for any liquid which might be inside of said carton.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,548,130 4/1951A lStephan 229-45 X 2,611,528 9/1952 Vadner 229-44 X 2,900,123 8/1959 Drnec et al. 229-45 3,116,006 12/1963 lDrnec et al. 2294-45 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVID M. BQCKENEK, Examiner, 

1. A CARTON HAVING SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS, SAID END WALLS HAVING A NOTCH THEREIN AND AN END REINFORCING FLAP WITH A REGISTERING NOTCH THEREIN HINGED TO SAID END WALL, SAID SIDE WALLS EACH HAVING A SIDE COVER FLAP HINGEDLY SECCURED THERETO, SAID SIDE COVER FLAPS EACH HAVING AN OUTER AND INNER SIDE COVER FLANGE POSITIONED AT AN ANGLE THERETO, SAID SIDE COVER FLAPS EACH HAVING SMALL END COVER BRACKETS FOR MAINTAINING SAID SIDE COVER FLANGE IN ANGULAR RELATION WITH SAID SIDE COVER FLAP, SAID END COVER BRACKETS HAVING A SMALL BOTTOM AND A WIDER TOP THEREBY COVERING ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF SAID END WALLS ADJACENT TO SAID NOTCH WHEN SAID COVER FLAPS ARE IN CLOSED POSITION AND LEAVING THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE END WALLS UNCOVERED, SAID SIDE COVER FLAPS CLOSING THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE CARTON WHEN IN THEIR CLOSED POSITION, SAID OUTER AND INNER SIDE COVER FLANGES HAVING LOWER PORTIONS WHCIH EXTEND DOWNWARDLY BELOW THE BOTOTM OF SAID NOTCH AND CONTACT THE INNER FACES OF SAID END REINFORCING FLAPS TO MAINTAIN SAID SIDE COVER FLAPS IN THEIR CLOSED POSITION AND TO RIGIDIFY THE CARTION IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION. 